THURSDAY NIGHT HORNETS AND BUMBLE BEES presented by Steve Copp Construction August 14th, 2008 By Ken Keating, Illusion Photography                A staggering number of Hornets and Bumblebees qualified for racing in last nights Thursday Night Thunder event. With the season soon coming to a close sixty-three cars entered the Speedway for three Trophy Dashes, nine Heat races, two B-Mains, and two Feature events. The bumping, grinding, and pushing seemed to be a little more intense throughout most of the program as every driver is after as many points as possible.                 Heat race eight produced side by side racing between Steve Copp, the eventual winner, and Kirk Peacey driving for Darrell Midgley. Peacey ran the outside for about four laps trying everything to get by Copp. At the same time, Phil Calnan was trying to upset Peacey. As the checkered flag flew Copp held off the challenge from Peacey as Peacey held off Calnan in one exciting race.                 Val Quinn won the B-Main for the rookies followed by points leader Cassandra Musfelt and Rhett Szevics. She grabbed the lead from the drop of the green flag and never looked back. Musfelt took over the second spot with only three laps left pushing Szevics back to third.                 Blair Davis held the lead for the first seven laps in the twenty lap Feature for the rookie drivers. He lost the lead to Ian Brown on lap eight and got it back three laps later. Garrett Smith worked his way toward the front and grabbed the second spot on lap twelve and with three laps left grabbed the lead and went on to the checkered flag. Davis finished in second followed by Jake Spring in third.                 George Jesen held the lead in the Expert Main until Brent Smith blasted into the lead on lap four. The race for second included Jesen, Rocky Sandu, Copp, & Robbie Haslam driving the #181 car. These positions changed lap by lap but when the checkered flag waved it was Smith followed by Haslam and Peter Gray-Owen moving up to take third.                 Twenty laps would mark the distance for the Expert Main event. Phil Calnan and Kirk Peacey shared the front row when the green flag flew. Over the first few laps they traded the lead quite often. Robbin Trotter moved up to run in third spot and he as well traded spots with the front runners. With nineteen cars on the track it was difficult for other fast drivers to get up front and mount a challenge. Darryl Crocker, Phil Lagan, Darren Cahill, and other drivers were mired deep in the field all trying to get a whole in the traffic. Up front Calnan was having his hands full trying to hold off Peacey but when the dust settled it was Calnan with the win, Peacey in second, and Trotter holding on to the third spot.                There is only two more Thursday Night Thunder events left in the 2008 season with the next one on August 21st. The Hornets will run again on the 28th and are scheduled to run as part of the Hot August Nights event on the 29th and 30th on the big oval. Come out and cheer your favorite driver as the Championship night is fast approaching for this series FAST TIME:  #14 Daryl Crocker  15:43   BUMBLE BEE DASH: Cassandra Musfelt; Val Quinn; Lois Lagan; Rose Root   ROOKIE DASH: Jake Spring; Reece Crocker; Jordan Visco; Tyler Woods   EXPERTS DASH: Daryl Cahill; Phil Lagan; Daryl Crocker; Dean Bowers   1ST HEAT - BUMBLEBEES: Cassandra Musfelt; Rose Root; Val Quinn; Lois Lagan 2ND HEAT - ROOKIES: Keith Roberts; Mike West; #8; Ken Osman; Rhett Szevics 3RD HEAT - ROOKIES: Ian Brown; Garrett Smith; Blair Davis; Tyler Clough 4TH HEAT - EXPERTS: Steve Copp; Jean-Luc Lagan; Steve Parkinson; Ryan Davies 5TH HEAT - EXPERTS: Ian Fraser; Mike Melin; Robin Trotter; Daryn Cahill 6TH HEAT: Jordan Visco; Reece Crocker; Lois Lagan; Ian Brown 7TH HEAT: Brandon Phillips; Garrett Smith; Cameron Phillips; Jordan Visco 8TH HEAT: Steve Copp; Kirk Peacey; Phil Calnan; Ryan Davies 9TH HEAT: Caleb Van Bree; Jean-Luc Lagan; Brent Smith; Brandon Carlson   B MAIN - ROOKIES: Val Quinn; Cassandra Musfelt; Rhett Szevics; Candace Van Bree; Keith Roberts A MAIN - ROOKIES: Garrett Smith; Blair Davis; Jake Spring; William Yelland; Jordan Visco   B MAIN - EXPERTS: Brent Smith; Robbie Haslam; Peter Gray-Owen; Ian Gray-Owen; Ryan Davies A MAIN - EXPERTS: Phil Calnan; Kirk Peacey; Robin Trotter; Daryn Cahill; Phil Lagan